Many prior art tools are made with extendable handles which serve at least three key functions, among others: they provide a means for a user to grip the tool, they increase extension and reach, and they create leverage. For example, a typical shovel has a pan-shaped head for digging and/or moving dirt. An extendable handle attached to the shovel head allows a user to work in a standing position and keep their hands at a reasonable distance from the work being done (rather than bending/kneeling/etc. down to get close to the work), and it further enables a user to create leverage when prying or scooping with the shovel. An array of hand tools such as hammers, rakes, brushes, scrapers, mops, concrete finishing tools, etc. use extendable handles for similar reasons.
Some of the problems with prior art extendable handles, however, are associated with the failure of the handles to perform adequately during use. It is not uncommon for wooden handles on shovels and other leveraging tools to break under the normal pressure that occurs during use. Sometimes manufacturers use harder woods to reduce such breakage; however, hard woods tend to weigh more than softer woods and consequently, make the tools heavier. Handles made of metal tubes are often used, but these may likewise be heavy or bend when under pressure. It is also common for handles on shovels, rakes, brooms, etc. to be made from synthetic materials such as plastic or fiberglass; such handles likewise may be heavy, lack strength or fail for other reasons.
One such area where extendable handles are very useful, if not essential, is for use with swimming pool cleaning tools (so that a user does not have to get in the water when cleaning a pool or similar water feature, but can reach the water from a standing position on a deck/dry place). A wide variety of tools and processes have been developed for use with swimming pool cleaning tools to clean pools and similar things (fountains, spas—both above and below ground, fish ponds, etc.). Among those devices and methods are devices that are commonly referred to as “telepoles”. Other uses for such “telepoles” include window washing tools, paint rolling tools, and concrete spreading/finishing tools.
Specifically within the concrete industry, telescopic poles and/or extending handles are attached to trowels and floats for finishing large/wide/etc. slabs of concrete that could not otherwise be reached without the user having to step in the wet concrete. With extendable/telescopic handles, tubular sections of handle can be attached one after the other to reach 20 to 30 feet, or even more. However, handles of this length may easily sag in the middle between the user and the tool, and manufacturers have attempted to reduce sagging by increasing the diameter and thickening the walls of the tubular sections. In doing so, they use a greater amount of material (typically aluminum within the concrete industry) and, consequently, make the handles heavier and more difficult to work with.
Commonly, telepoles utilize two separate lengths of tubing (configured so that one slides within the other to adjust the overall length of the telepole, and a mechanism or device which “locks” the tubes together at a desired position (so that, while so locked, they do not move/slide with respect to one another). That desired position (in effect, the selected length of the telepole) depends on a number of factors, such as the depth of the pool, the strength of the person using the tool, the particular tool being used, etc. Further, a selected telepole or handle length may be made even longer by adding one or more additional lengths of tubing in a series so that each length contributes to an overall desired length.
Typically, telepole tubing is made from aluminum, fiberglass, or some other light, yet relatively strong material. Generally, in telepoles used for attaching swimming pool cleaning tools, the lower tube (nearest the attached tool) is the “outer” tube, and the upper tube reciprocates within that lower tube. The lower/outer tube typically has a collar-like element at one end and a series of holes near and/or along a portion of the opposite end. The collar means provides a finished end of the tube which receives the inner/upper tube and also serves as a guide to keep the inner/upper tube well-positioned/aligned as it slides within the outer tube. The holes along the opposite end commonly serve several purposes, such as providing attachment means for attaching swimming pool cleaning tools and allowing water to enter and exit the tube, so that the tool will fill with water to some degree during use (making it easier to keep the tool in contact with the bottom of the pool, instead of having it float up off the bottom) and the water can drain from the tube upon removal of the pole/tool from the water.
Typically, a first set of holes is positioned closest to the end of the outer tube (approximately one inch from the end of the pole), consisting of two holes placed on opposite sides of the tube (180 degrees from each other about the tube's circumference). A few inches farther away from the “tool end” of the pole/tube, a second set of two holes commonly is positioned similarly about the tube's circumference, and a third set may be even further from the “tool end” of the pole. The first set of holes nearest the end of the tube are positioned and configured to allow easy attachment and removal of pool cleaning tools such as leaf nets, brushes, vacuum heads, and the like, by using springy plastic “V-clips” having button-like ends that extending outwardly through the first set of holes (typically after also extending from the interior of the tool through corresponding holes in the tool sidewall). Thus, the first set of holes typically act as receiving holes for receiving V-clip buttons, where the V-clip is operably positioned on the attachment end of a pool cleaning tool.
The second set of distally located holes are commonly used for mounting various tools such as lifesaving rescue hooks that require more permanent attachment to the telepole. A third set of holes may be positioned similarly to the first and second sets about the tube's circumference and located even farther from the tube's end than the first or second sets of holes, to enable water to more easily enter into (and/or drain from) the interior of the outer pole/tube.
In many prior art telepoles used for attaching pool cleaning tools, the inner/upper tube is of similar length to the outer tube and has a profile with a smaller circumference than that of the outer tube, in order to permit sliding of the inner tube within the outer tube. The inner/upper tube commonly has a gripping element mounted on one end which provides a gripping surface for a user to grasp the end of the telepole. The gripping element also serves to prevent the inner tube from sliding completely into the outer tube and becoming ungraspable. The opposite end of the inner tube is received by the collar means of the outer/lower tube. Commonly, the end of the inner/upper tube that reciprocates within the outer tube has a cam-like element which serves as an internal pressure locking device to “lock” the inner tube in place within the outer tube.
Essentially, when the inner/upper tube is rotated so that the cam element is aligned with the profile of the inside walls of the outer tube, the inner tube can freely slide within the outer tube (since the cam element does not engage with or apply pressure on the inside walls of the outer tube in this position). However, when the user sufficiently further rotates the inner tube with respect to the outer tube, the inner tube's cam element becomes misaligned with the profile of the inner walls of the outer/lower tube, and the cam element applies a pressure against the inner walls of the outer tube and “locks” the inner tube in place within the outer tube. In this way, the inner tube may be manipulated and positioned (and locked) at a desired position along the length of the outer tube, thereby selectively setting the length of the telepole device.
Other prior art telepole devices utilize an external locking device in which a portion of the collar element on the outer tube acts as a compression fitting. In these devices, an end of the collar element is elongated with male threads and is sometimes capable of expanding and contracting across its diameter. A corresponding female threaded compression ring fits around the male threaded end, and a compression gasket fits at least partially between the male end and the inner tube. The compression ring usually has gripping textures to add grip for a user's hands which may be wet and slippery from pool water. The telepole is locked into a desired position by twisting the compression ring to tighten it to the collar and simultaneously squeezing the gasket against the outside surface of the inner tube. With sufficient pressure, the telepole will generally stay ‘locked’ in the desired position. Loosening the compression ring reduces pressure on the gasket and allows the inner tube to slide freely again.
Further examples of prior art telepole locking devices include U.S. Pat. No. 5,729,865, which has a sliding locking assembly for retaining the tubes in position relative to one another; and U.S. Patent Application No. 2006/0230581, which has rotatable locking mechanism wherein rotation of a locking segment on the outer tube creates frictional locking engagement with the inner tube.
Other prior art telepoles used to clean swimming pools have both internal and external locking devices, and some even have multiple locks of either type and/or a combination of the two types. For example, some have three tubes, each with a profile of a different circumference such that they fit within each other: an outer tube with an external locking device and tool attachment holes, a middle tube with an external locking device, and an inner tube with an internal locking device and a grip.
The various prior art telepole configurations discussed above have shortcomings. Among other things, the cam element's locking ability may lessen or diminish over time. Repeated use results in wear and tear on the cam and/or the inner walls of the outer tube, causing the contact surfaces of the cam and inner walls to become rough and/or out of round. As a result, a cam may lose its ability to become misaligned with the inner walls of the tube and as a consequence the inner and outer tubes cannot be “locked” in place with respect to each other. In this situation, the cam may also spontaneously align itself with the inner walls of the tube, thus permitting the tubes to readily slide past one another and causing the telepole to collapse/slip when pressure is applied to it during cleaning. The tendency of the cam to spontaneously align with the inner walls may also result in tool failure and even poses the risk of the user falling into the pool if the telepole suddenly collapses while the user is applying pressure to it.
Further, prior art telepoles are prone to bending/becoming deformed during use due to the amount of pressure/weight applied to them by a user. In time, the tubes may no longer be true (aligned with each other). When this happens, the telepole's internal locking devices tend to jam in the areas where the tubes are out of round and/or not straight, resulting in complete failure of the telescopic feature of the pole. In other words, and among other things, poles in this condition may not be extendable or adjustable in length.
Additionally, prior art external locking devices are subject to wear and tear in prior art telepole devices. Over time, the contacting surfaces can wear and/or become smooth and have less friction, which greatly reduces the ability of the compression ring to hold the inner tube in place. In some cases, this allows the inner tube to slide within the outer tube even when the outer ring is tightened to its maximum position. The inner tube may also undesirably rotate when the telepole is in use, thus reducing the user's ability to maneuver the attached cleaning tools as desired. Furthermore, telepoles having only an external locking device have the additional problem of water filling the inner tube during use since there is no cam to plug the end of the inner tube. This can make the telepole very heavy and less maneuverable (as mentioned above, some water inside the tube(s), such as in the lower tube, can be helpful in using the tool, but too much water can be a substantial problem or inconvenience in using the tool). Even further, new prior art telepoles having new compression rings have been known to undesirably permit inner tube rotating and/or sliding within the outer tube.
Attempts to remedy these known issues/problems have led to even more problems. One such attempt increases the tightening force of the compression ring, but it can make the compression ring very difficult to loosen and painful to the user's hands to twist the compression ring either to tighten or loosen it.
The issues described above are common among prior art telepoles used to clean swimming pools and have led to the creation of telepoles with both internal and external locking devices, wherein either device may serve as a backup for the other. The Eliptilock pole made by Skimlite is a further attempt to avert the problems discussed above. Both the inner and outer tubes of an Eliptilock pole have similar elliptical profiles, with the inner tube being slightly smaller than the outer tube; and the inner tube sliding freely when its profile is aligned with the profile of the outer tube. A slight twist from the user causes the inner tube to become wedged within the outer tube and “locked” in place. A twist in the opposite direction releases the inner tube so that its profile is aligned with that of the outer tube and it may freely slide within the outer tube. Over time, however, the areas of contact between the tubes become rough and develop friction, and the inner tube may become jammed within the outer tube. This is especially common when the telepole bends or changes shape due to various pressures placed upon it during use.
Further, “telepoles” or extendable handles used in other applications are not necessarily suitable for use in swimming pools. In window washing, painting, or marine applications, for example, telepole configurations are basically the opposite of those needed for cleaning swimming pools. The grip discussed above is mounted on the outer tube, and the inner tube or tubes extend outward from the user, with the tool mounted on the narrowest/inner tube of the telepole. Such configurations are useful/practical when using a telepole to reach upward or overhead as the highest portions of the telepole are also the lightest. However, swimming pool cleaning generally involves a lateral reach (for above-ground pools) or downward reach (for in-ground pools) which is easier to perform with the heavier part of the telepole extending away from the user. Furthermore, telepoles such as those used for window washing or painting would be especially impractical as the locking devices would be almost constantly under water, hindering the ease and ready adjustment of the telepole's length needed to clean a swimming pool.
Also, the locking devices of telepoles used in other applications are unsuitable for swimming pool cleaning applications. For instance, external locking devices, such as those found on telepoles used for window washing, painting, or marine applications, tend to make pool cleaning difficult as they can easily catch on the edge of a pool or other objects when the telepole is being used, among other things. For example, the Mr. Long Arm Pole (shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,220,707) has an external locking device with a button that activates a detent mechanism to engage and release the inner tube of the telepole, but is not suitable in swimming pool applications for a number of reasons. Among other things, it is configured the opposite of what is desirable/useful for cleaning swimming pools (i.e., the lighter parts of the pole extending away from the user). Further, the Mr. Long Arm pole is sealed at both ends by a grip on the outer tube end and a threaded adapter on the inner tube end, and therefore is unable to accommodate the commonly-used V-clips of most swimming pool cleaning tools. Moreover, its inner tube is unsealed on the end opposite the threaded adapter (the end that is inserted into the outer tube) and where a series of holes that receive the detent mechanism of the locking device are located along the inner pole's length. These openings in the inner tube would allow water to enter the pole when it is placed in a pool, etc. and make the telepole awkward and cumbersome to maneuver and control during use. Additionally, since the grip is mounted on the end of the outer pole, the detent mechanism would almost always be underwater during use, and adjusting the pole's length would inconveniently require a user to withdraw some or all of the pole from the pool.
Other prior art telepoles have lever-activated compression fittings. Devices having a lever fitting are suitable for certain applications in which a user does not need to adjust his grip/move his hand position from the wider tube to the narrower tube. However, swimming pool cleaning commonly requires a user to repeatedly pass his or her hands back and forth over the locking device (to/from one tube to the other) during cleaning in order to be able to adjust his/her reach, get desired leverage on the tool, etc. Therefore, bulky and/or angular levers that are commonly used on telepoles for other applications may obstruct a user's hand from easily passing back and forth over the lever and thus reduce a user's ability to effectively clean a swimming pool. Furthermore, bumping a lever may cause pain or even injury to a user, especially if his or her hands have been wet for some time or exposed to pool chemicals. Even further, bumping the lever with one's hands, an object, or even against the pool deck may cause the lever to release unintentionally.
Still other problems occur with prior art as the inner tube may easily be overextended, especially among telepoles used for cleaning swimming pools. When overextension occurs, the inner tube can slide completely out of and separate from the outer tube. As a result, the outer tube, along with the attached cleaning tool, can sink to the bottom of a pool and be difficult to retrieve. Reassembling the telepole can be difficult and especially inconvenient if the inner tube has a cam locking device mounted on it since reassembly of the telepole requires that the cam's shoe, the inside tube and outside tube all must be aligned with each other for them to slide back together.
Additional problems arise with grips that fail to remain tightly attached to the end of the inside tube. While grips are generally designed to fit very tightly, they still can be knocked off the end of the inside tube if that tube slides too far or too quickly into the outside tube. When this happens, the inside tube may pass completely out the other end of the outside tube, or at least past the compression ring (on tubes with compression locks). Consequently, a user must reassemble nearly all of the telepole in order to use it again.